Welcome to Pretty Healthy, FLEETSTREET’s in-depth series. Beauty starts with healthy skin and hair, and this column delivers the goods on making that a reality.
Confession: I’m addicted to facial oils. Not only do they smell divine, glide on like silk and act as powerful skin enhancers, they’re also the perfect little treat for some me-time. Just inhaling a few drops in the palm of your hand before applying can whisk you away to another place and time, sparking joy.
I haven’t always felt this way. For years, the thought of using straight-up oil on my skin freaked me out. But I began searching for new products when I realized I needed a little something-something to keep my skin soft and supple.
Lucky for me, just when I was looking for some new products, Canadian-founded Saje launched a collection of face oils. Recently, I caught up with the brand’s national educator Kristin Rondeau for a product primer.
What are the benefits of using facial oils?
“The superpower of face oils is that they help act as a barrier over the skin to lock in moisture while protecting the outer layers of the skin. In a controlled consumer perception study, 91 per cent of participants reported that their skin felt more hydrated, nourished and healthy following a single application of our new face oils.”
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Can people with oily or acne-prone skin use oils, too?
“We like to say that sometimes, you have to fight oil with oil. If you’ve used or are using harsh abrasive ingredients, like alcohol or washcloths, and you’ve stripped your skin of its necessary natural oils, it can go into overproduction-mode. And, in fact, it can increase the amount of sebum on your skin. Oils like those found in our products help make the skin smooth, plump and pliable, which is why certain essential oils – like those from rose, tea tree and parsley seed – and certain carrier oils – like jojoba and plant-derived squalane – are great for calming the appearance of redness and sensitivity in oily skin. Using oil can actually help restore your skin’s natural oils and keep your skin feeling more fresh and balanced.”
How can we use oils as a way to build self-care time?
“Scent impacts our wellbeing in many ways. Scent sends important signals to our limbic system, which is the part of the brain that controls memory and emotion. When we take time for ourselves, like curating a thoughtful and intentional skincare routine each morning and night, we’re flexing the muscles that help to create patterns of behaviour our brains come to know and love, particularly when they’re healthy and beneficial.
“Our face oils were carefully formulated with delicious-smelling ingredients like rose, frankincense, parsley seed, chamomile, blueberry seed, pomegranate seed and a whole host of other highly efficacious natural ingredients. That means, not only does your skin benefit from direct application, your olfactory systems benefits from pleasant aromas.”
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Ready to try an oil yourself? Check these suggestions
Saje True Dew Face Oil, $48, a great pick for dry or mature skin. It’s blended with rose otto, helichrysum and pomegranate seed and has a revitalizing floral scent that instantly transports you to springtime. Plus, the line includes a cleanser and moisturizer.
Caudalie Vinosource-Hydra Overnight Recovery Oil, $62. This formula contains essential and vegetal oils to help regenerate the skin’s barrier: grape seed oil, sesame oil, jojoba oil, rose essential oil and palmarosa essential oil.
e.l.f. cosmetics Nourishing Facial Oil, $13. A good starter option if you just want to explore oils, this one moisturizes with a blend of ingredients including rose, avocado, and grape seed oil.